Endeavor
by Jacovi
Summary: After being chased out of their territory by strange creatures, a certain wolf pack with black pelts seek refuge in the snowy mountains. Seeking answers, a young wolf journies away from this pack in hopes to obliterate the creatures that threaten them.


**This story takes place during the game Twilight Princess. In fact, this chapter is actually a little bit before the plot kicks in (when Link is still living in Ordon working as a ranch hand). It is told from the point of view of a wolf pack. I'm not going to say much more in order to avoid spoilers, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Also, I welcome flames, but I believe that you can express your point without using profanity. Reviews are very much appreciated. Thank you and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda.**

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The afternoon sun shone brightly, but the snow remained perfectly intact. The cold air raged, sending shivers up their spines as they trudged up the white hill, eyes fixed on the ground but they could see nothing. They moved robotically, unable to comprehend the event that had caused them to flee to safety, or the closest that they could find to safety. After being driven out of their territory, the only option that they had left was to seek refuge in the mountains that never ceased to blizzard.

The snow flurries whipped their eyes as they continued on their way up the snowy incline. None of them knew where they were going exactly. None of them knew what had just attacked them. None of them knew why the creatures led by a Man would decide to attack a pack of wolves. Nothing made sense.

Wolves had always lived in the land, unharmed by Man unless they foolishly ventured into Man's territory. Man was never harmed by Wolf unless he foolishly ventured into their territory. It was a well balanced system that had worked for hundreds of years, up until now. Some of the wolves believed that Man has become territory hungry, and that is the reason something that resembled a Man had driven them out. Others believed that there was something darker, more terrifying at work.

Among these others was a she-wolf, her coat nothing out of the ordinary for her pack. Her pelt would have been solid black had it not been for the small white mark shaped like a horse's snip on her chest. Her eyes were a green-gray color, a bit grayer than they were green, and she was a bit above average height for her young age. Vivian, her name was, but was called Viv by most, a short nickname given to her by one of her brothers.

This brother was not a littermate of her's. He was older, but not wiser as most would think. He was still a pup at heart, and was sometimes looked down upon for it, but his fighting skills quickly gained himself respect from his fellow pack members. His coat, too, was black, but his chin and beginnings of his neck were white, giving him a peculiar appearance. It almost made him seem like one of those goofy Humans who put smear red berry juice on their faces to look like they were smiling and then dance around like complete idiots. His personality almost matched that. He was average height, and strong without having an overly muscular build. He was called Nike, a word that meant victory.

Their pack was larger than the average pack, due to the fact that some of them were not able to leave and find new territory before the creatures attacked them. Their pack consisted of ten wolves instead of six or seven as it usually was. They were led by their parents: Xavier and Ambrosia, also known as the Alpha male and Alpha female. They wielded the traditional black coat of their pack, but Ambrosia had the purer coat, only a small white dot below her left eye kept it from being flawless while Xavier's fur faded into brown as it met his muzzle.

Chance was a littermate to Nike. The only marking on his black coat was the squiggly white line on his neck, close to his chin that made him appear to something close to the hair that Man grows on his chin if he does not scrape it off. Chance had the thickest fur of the pack, making him appear to have a heavy build. He was hardy and tolerant, although when his patience finally wears out he can be moody and angry.

The last littermate of Chance and Nike was Seraphia, a beautiful and slender she-wolf with a small strip of silver on the top of her head. Her midnight coat shimmered in the snow, making it appear to have small stars. She was as tall as her father, but graceful, giving her a refined and elegant appearance as she strode alongside her parents.

Valliant was Viv's only littermate. The season had been unusually cold the year that they were born, and food was scarce, so they were the only survivors. He was the only one of the pack that possessed the pure black coat of their ancestors. He was smaller than his siblings, sickly at times, but always kept pulling through. He was a fighter, a survivor, and the one that the pack members always looked out for. He was quiet and sensitive, retaining rare innocence, and could see the good in even the most feared murderer.

The remaining three of the pack were of a litter before Chance, Nike, and Seraphia, only sticking around because they were unable to find territory suitable to their needs before they were attacked. Glendale was the male, his build heavy and his black fur was streaked with brown. His littermates were both she-wolves: Cheyenne and Lottie. Cheyenne had one brown ear while her sister had one white paw.

The ten wolves' black pelts stood out in the snow, making them an easy target for whatever creature dared attack them. They were lucky that the strange monsters that had attacked them were not yet present in the snowy mountains. Perhaps it was only because they'd beat them to it, or perhaps it was because the furless creatures could not survive this cold weather. Whatever the reason, the wolves did not question it, and continued their journey.

They grimaced as the wind tore at their coats that were not yet thickened to the harsh weather. This land was strange. Although the land outside these mountains grew warm at this season, they remained frozen and unchanging. The snowy mountains didn't have seasons. It never had, not even centuries upon centuries ago when they were rumored to be a vast desert. Ever since that time, the land had been all but impossible to live in and explore. As far as the wolves knew, there were no other packs that were crazy enough to be living in the mountains, and wolves were rare in the land as it was. They were wrong.

There was a single howl that was almost drowned out by the wind. Most of them did consider it to be the window and simply lifted their heads for a second to look around, and, finding nothing, continued on their way. But Seraphia knew differently. Her gaze was locked on something in the distance, and she stood erect and alert. Her eyes were searching, as if she could see something blurry in the distance.

"Seraphia, come!" Xavier ordered, looking back at his daughter, not wanting to waste any time in case the creatures were following them. Seraphia didn't move her gaze. Her ears and tail remained up, vigilantly. "Seraphia!"

"No," she said in her clear voice. "Father, look." Xavier followed her gaze and at first saw nothing, but as he studied the area more, he could make out the faint outline of . . . a _wolf_? He blinked and peered closer. There was no mistaking the fact that the creature was a wolf, but there was something different about it. Its pelt was as white as the snow, but it somehow seemed to be radiating some sort of golden light. He did not know whether or not to attack at first as the creature came towards them. He'd heard myths of a white wolf that was described much like how this one looked, a hero, they'd called him, although Xavier himself had never heard of the deeds that the wolf had done to earn the title.

Then the wolf turned its gaze towards them and an icy feeling crept over the Alpha.

"Get back!" Xavier called to his family, preparing to fight. He growled and glared right into the creatures red eyes, knowing it not to be the white wolf, but a monster. His family backed behind him, obeying their Alpha, and also knowing that he would be able to win this battle. Xavier crouched in preparation for the fight.

The white wolf leapt at him as it neared, and Xavier dodged in return. The creature disappeared into the snow as it landed and the wolf pack stared at where it had been in shock. They quickly snapped out of it as another wolf—if the strange, terrible creature could even be _called_ a wolf—appeared in the distance. Beside it stood three more of its kind, all glaring hungrily at them and snarling menacingly. The wolf family growled at them, and walked up to stand beside their alpha, although he gave them a look of protest.

"You need us," Seraphia said simply, and her father did not argue. It was true. He knew that he wouldn't be able to take on these monstrous creatures that resembled his kind; these white wolves with glowing red eyes that could withdraw into the snow. There was no way. But with his family behind him he knew that they stood a chance.

Unlike Xavier's predictions, the white wolves ran towards them and attacked all at once. Take off guard by the fact that their tactic was so disorganized, he couldn't help but stare until it was almost too late. Finally shaking off his surprise, he glanced at his family out of the corner of his eye.

"Attack!" he yelled to them, and they launched themselves at the creatures. They tried to meet them head on, but two of the white wolves were able to evaporate into the snow before they could unleash a single attack. Only Cheyenne and Valliant were able to keep theirs from disappearing. Cheyenne lashed out furiously with her paws, and bit the creature's neck, but Valliant simply met his with a head-butt to its neck. The white monster flew back about a foot, but landed on all fours like a cat. It sprung back at Valliant before he had a chance to regain himself. Valliant squealed as he flew backwards and landed heavily on his side.

Glendale and Nike, having seen the fight but had not enough time to run over and help their brother, raced even quicker towards the monster, then, in unison, hurdled themselves at it. Upon landing, Glendale dug his incisors into its neck, while Nike raked its back with his claws. The creature howled in agony then suddenly, it shuddered and fell to the ground. All but satisfied, the two backed off of it and looked, concerned, in the direction of Valliant, who still lay on the ground. A spark of hope came to them as Valliant shakily tried to get to his feet, but fell back down. He was injured, but he was still alive. They looked back to where they had thought they had slain the white beast, but there was nothing there. The creature had not been killed. It had dissolved into the snow.

Horror struck, the brothers exchanged a glance before yelling out to their family, "Retreat! Retreat, for they cannot be beaten!" Their father tossed one to the side before looking at the quizzically. They gestured to the white monster that he had just thrown, and it disappeared into the snow. Xavier's eyes widened.

"Retreat!" he howled to his family, and ran to Valliant's side. He picked up his son in his mouth—for he was tall enough, and Valliant small enough for him to do so—and raced up the mountainside. His family sprinted along side of them, panting from the fight aching from the newly formed gashes on their bodies.

A howl made the pack glance behind them to see the white wolves, more of them this time, running behind them. They were being chased. Xavier streaked forwards again, pushing himself to go as fast as he could with a pup hanging from his maw. He didn't pay attention to where he was going. His mind was set on only one thing: get yourself and your family _away _from these monsters!

In this state of mind, Xavier led them to a dead end. A wall. The side of a cliff. He skidded to a stop in front of it and whirled around to see his pack and their pursuers not far behind them. He'd led them to their deaths. They trusted him. They loved him. They were loyal to him. And how did he repay them? By leading them to a cliffside where they would be brutally murdered? Was this how his family was to end? By foolishly following him? He silently cursed himself and his stupidity. Oh, what a foolish alpha he was!

"Xavier!" Ambrosia's voice drew Xavier out of his thoughts and he turned to look at her. She was crouching over an area of the cliffside, digging in the snow. She dug until he could see something on the other side. Taking in a deep breath, the alpha female crawled under the cliffside and into the cave on the other side. The rest of the pack quickly followed, and then finally Xavier with his injured son. His pack wouldn't be murdered after all. He blinked his thanks at his clever mate.

That's why they were together.


End file.
